A dancer rehearses for Yimeng. Photo: Courtesy of Shi Ren

China's top ballet company, the National Ballet of China will stage a new show, Yimeng, from December 26 to 28 at the Beijing Tianqiao Theater to commemorate the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China in 2021. 

The show is based on several previous shows about China's revolutionary base located in the Yimeng Mountains, Shandong Province such as Ode to Yimeng but uses new and creative stage design to accompany the story. 

Despite the COVID-19 epidemic locking down theaters, the troupe went to great lengths to create opportunities to rehearse and improve the show.  

According to the troupe's director Feng Ying, the show tells a story through "new angles" and aims to carry on the precious "Yimeng spirit."